Chapter 3: THE DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

Even when the car's tires skidded to a stop outside my apartment building, my mind continued to race. The bombshell that Jay Sinclair had just dropped had destroyed all pretense of routine in my life. A union based on contract? It was nonsensical. However, as I cast a sidelong glance at him, his expression serene, I couldn't help but feel the oppressive weight of my reality.

Ethan had betrayed my affection and my confidence. My life was disintegrating. For some strange reason, Jay Sinclair had entered my life and promised me a way out, but at what price? I clenched my fingers around the passenger door handle, my knuckles becoming white from strain. I was breathing. I needed air. I pushed the door wide and whispered to myself, "I need to go." Jay remained motionless, observing my every move as I got out of the car with his eyes.

The weight in his emotionless, calm voice, "I'll give you time to think, Arielle," shot a shiver down my spine. "Don't take too long, though. The timer is running out." His words struck me like cold steel, and I froze for a second.

Then, without saying a word, I slammed the door and ran, my heels tapping loudly on the concrete, toward my apartment building. I felt as though I was falling farther and deeper into a hole from which I would never be able to emerge with every step.

I stumbled into my flat and fell onto the couch, rubbing my face with quivering hands. This was not taking place. This was not possible. I tried to take in everything that had happened in the moment as I stared blankly at the ceiling. Sinclair Jay. Ethan. The suggestion. a union under contract. I was abruptly brought back to the present moment as my phone buzzed on the table next to me. It took me a moment to decide to pick it up.

My landlord had sent me a note to remind me that rent was due in two days. Another financial hit that caught me off guard. My stomach became constricted. Even with its twist, Jay's offer dangled before me like a lifeline as I was about to sink. However, was I truly prepared to sell my soul in order to escape this situation? Doubt and worry were raging in my head like a wild storm.

With a start, I got up and started walking around my tiny living room. "Reflect, Arielle. Consider." However, my mind kept returning to the same grim truth—Jay was correct. I had to make a decision. I had nothing left by Ethan, and I was at a loss for what to do. My phone suddenly buzzed once again.

It wasn't my landlord this time.

It was Jay.

I don't even know how this man got my number. My subconscious was shouting in my head. To what extent did he know me?..

—Time’s running out. I read.

My chest throbbed with my heartbeat. How could he have known how to effortlessly get under my skin? I chewed my lip while focusing on the display. I was unsure whether to answer, so my fingers were lingering over the keyboard. My phone rang before I could decide, though. I looked at the caller ID, startled. It was my mother, not Jay.

I moaned gently, and when I answered the phone, my palm trembled a little. "Hi, Mom."

My mother said, "Arielle, darling," in a kind but heated tone. "I've been attempting to get in touch with you all day. I've been informed of Ethan's situation." I closed my eyes tightly. My mother had already heard, of course. In their social circles, rumors spread quickly, so my split with Ethan wasn't simply a private tragedy—it was also widely reported.

"Yes, Mom, that is true," I murmured in a hushed tone.

"Oh, sweetheart," my mom murmured. "You ought to return home. Together, we can work things out. There are many wealthy guys who would give their lives to be with you, so you don't have to go through this alone." My jaw tightened. Returning home meant dealing with even more sympathy and criticism, and eventually the pressure to pursue a new relationship with a wealthy businessman became intolerable.

My mother's acquaintances were already murmuring among themselves about how I had failed to guarantee my future with the wealthy Ethan. "I’ll think about it, Mom," I muttered, not committing to anything.

My mother's voice came back into the conversation after a short silence on the other end. "Remember this, Arielle. Even yet, don't allow someone use your kindness because you deserve better than to be abandoned and impoverished in this way."

Long after the call was over, I kept thinking about what my mother had said. Keep your kindness untapped and don't let anyone use it. That was just what Jay Sinclair was doing, wasn't it? Providing an escape route for me, but with conditions? Gazing out of the window at the city below, I stood there. While life continued around me and the lights flickered in the distance, I felt as though nothing was moving in my world. I didn't know what to do.

The soft beep of my phone distracted me from my thoughts once more. Another communication from Jay. — Tomorrow night at 7 p.m., I'll be having supper at the Saint Claire Hotel. When you're prepared to decide, show up...

As I read the message, my heart pounded in my chest. It seemed as though he could sense my struggle and uncertainty. I gazed at the text on the computer while doubts raced through my head.

Am I Really Able to Do This? Is it possible for me to enter into a contractual marriage with Jay Sinclair so quickly?. I pondered over Ethan's treachery, the way he had destroyed my heart and left me holding just shards of glass. I considered the rent I was no longer able to pay and the increasingly bleak future. I considered Jay's proposition, which was alluring, risky, and rife with uncertainty. My decision was like a weight on my chest, choking me.

With shaking hands, I collapsed onto the couch. Tomorrow, I would have to choose whether or not to make A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL tomorrow. One thing was clear to me as I sat there, staring at my phone's flickering cursor: no matter what decision I took, my life would never be the same.